CAPTURING the hearts of the nation as a romantic lead once in your career is probably enough for most actors.

Well Anne Reid has done it twice and what’s more, the two roles concerned, were 50 years apart.

The first time it was as Ken Barlow’s wife, Valerie, in Coronation Street.

She joined in 1961 and quickly became one of the soap’s most popular actors after Valerie married Ken in 1962, the episode of which attracting more than 15milion viewers at the time.

“Coronation Street didn’t mean a lot to me at the time,” Anne confesses. “That’s because we didn’t have a television. I had no idea how big it was until I started and they asked me to switch on the Blackpool lights.

“I remember they organised a coach for us all and people were waving at us by the side of the road. When I started out, it was in a theatre company and I had no idea what celebrity even meant.”

Anne stayed on the soap for almost ten years before, by her own admission, she started to go a bit bonkers.

“I was going a bit mad with it all,” she continues, “so I just left. I didn’t know whether I would ever be employed again but I just couldn’t stand it. Funnily enough, and it sounds ridiculous now, I was really worried for Bill Roache (who still plays Ken Barlow). I honestly thought if I went they might get rid of him as well and poor Bill had two kids to look after.”

Leaving in 1971, Anne indeed didn’t work for many years, mainly down to the fact she got pregnant soon after leaving the Street and then took time out to raise her son.

But despite brief appearances in shows like Boon and Hetty Wainthropp Investigates, and eventually a main part in Victoria Wood’s Dinnerladies, it wasn’t until 2012 that she got another leading role that would make her name.

That was as Celia Dawson in the BBC’s very popular romantic drama Last Tango in Halifax.

“It’s funny because I’ve never been a leading actress until Tango,” she jokes. “Just goes to show it’s never too late. It’s a wonderful series to be involved in and I’m pleased to say we’re doing another one later this year. Sally Wainwright is a brilliant writer and the whole cast is a delight.”

One of which just happens to be Colchester-based actor, Tony Gardner.

“Oh I’ve got a good story about Tony,” Anne tells me, “so I’m glad you told me in lives in Colchester. I’ll have to warn him just in case he comes to the show.”

And the reason Anne happens to be in town is her cabaret style show, I Love to Sing, which arrives at the Mercury Theatre next weekend.

In it Anne, and her musical director Jason Carr, present an evening of her favourite songs as well as stories from her career on stage, screen and television, including filming with Daniel Craig and performing Shakespeare at Buckingham Palace.

For the last few years, Anne’s cabaret has sold out at numerous venues across London and further afield, and now she’s starting her debut UK tour.

“The first time I did the show was for a group of friends in the South of France,” she explains. “I thought if it’s terrible then no one will really know apart from my friends but everyone loved it and said I should do it again.

“I’m very lucky having Jason as my musical director. He’s twice been nominated for a Tony Award, once for La Cage Aux Folles and then Sunday in the Park with George.

“But I just love it so much. I’ve always loved singing, mostly in the kitchen before all of this, but what I really enjoyed was putting the show together. Finding the songs and then writing the links in between.

“One of my favourites is Wanna Sing A Show Tune by Ray Jessel and I was very fortunate to be put in touch with Ray before he died last year. We e-mailed me each other for quite a while and I even got the chance to go and see one of his cabarets.”

• Anne Reid: I Love to Sing Mercury Theatre, Balkerne Gate, Colchester.

February 6. 7.30pm.

£21. 01206 573948.

www.mercurytheatre.co.uk